Urinary acetonitrile concentrations correlate with recent smoking behaviour.

Objectives: To assess the concentration of acetonitrile (a saturated aliphatic nitrile) in the urine of habitual cigarette smokers and non-smokers, as exposure to smoke can be measured by monitoring ambient air or by in vivo tests, but acetonitrile measured in exhaled breath is reportedly a quantitative marker of recent smoking behaviour.

Subjects And Methods: The study included 101 volunteers (57 men and 44 women, mean age 49 years). An absence of urinary tract infection on urine analysis or clinical history was mandatory.